1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to trim panels for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to an apparatus for forming a trim panel with 180.degree. periphery edge wrap for a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Trim panels are used in occupant compartments of motor vehicles. For example, a vehicle body may include a quarter panel having an inner panel and outer panel joined to each other and connected to a vehicle structure in a known manner. The quarter panel also includes a decorative trim panel mounted on the inner panel.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a trim panel 10 includes a trim panel substrate 12 and a trim panel cover 14 disposed over a portion of the trim panel substrate 12. The trim panel substrate 12 is made of a glass reinforced urethane foam and the trim panel cover 14 is made of a thin layer of vinyl.
For a convertible type motor vehicle, the trim panel 10 has a periphery edge 16 on an upper portion of the trim panel substrate 12 for a topwell area of the vehicle. This periphery edge 16 is visible or exposed when a top of the convertible type motor vehicle is in a down position and is undesired.
Typically, a mold 18 is used to manufacture the trim panel 10. The trim panel cover 14 is placed in a first lower half 20 of the mold 18. A mold ring 22 is hinged to the first or lower half 20 of the mold 18. The ring 22 cooperates with the second or upper half 24 of the mold 18 to hold the trim panel cover 14 in place; i.e., the second or top half 24 of the mold 18 sandwiches the mold ring 22 between the respective halves 20,24 and to hold the trim panel cover 14 in place. A vacuum is applied to the mold 18 to draw the trim panel cover 14 up against the lower half 20 of the mold 18 which forms the trim panel cover 14 to a predetermined shape. Urethane foam material is then injected against an inner surface of the trim panel cover 14 and the lower half 20 of the mold 18 to form the trim panel substrate 12. As a result, the trim panel cover 14 is only wrapped on two surfaces of the periphery edge 16 of the trim panel substrate 12. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an apparatus for forming a trim panel with a periphery edge wrap having a superior fit and finish.